This invention relates to a device for sampling particulate material. More particularly this invention relates to a device of simple and inexpensive design which is .[.advantageous.]. .Iadd.particularly well adapted .Iaddend.for isolating and removing a sample of particulate material from the mass of said material. Further this invention relates to a device for sampling grain in trucks or other containers.
Obviously where a large mass or bulk of particulate material such as grain, oil seeds, meals or other finely divided material are transported to market by truck, railroad car or other means and offered for sale it is not possible to inspect the entire mass or bulk of material. Accordingly samples are typically removed for physical inspection and subjection to tests and analyses in order to determine the quality of the product being offered for sale as well as the extent, if any, to which it is subject to spoilage in storage. It will thus be apparent that accurate, representative sampling is the only valid basis for determining the true market value of grain and other finely divided materials offered for sale and where the sampling methods are not accurate and not representative .Iadd.of .Iaddend.the market value of grain and other particulate materials may not reflect their true value.
In many, if not most, prior art applications sampling of particulate materials is done manually. Typically an operator positions a ladder alongside the truck, railroad car or other container to be sampled with a hand operated probe to be manually forced into the mass of material to be sampled. This procedure, while it does permit accurate representative samples to be taken, is disadvantageous. This method is slow and tedious and requires considerable physical strength on the part of the worker involved. Also the strength of the worker .[.is.]. .Iadd.determines .Iaddend.the limit of the depth .[.into.]. .Iadd.to .Iaddend.which a manually operated probe can penetrate. If the operator cannot force the probe all the way to the bottom of the mass of material, the sample is not representative, and may not accurately reflect the qualities of the entire mass or bulk of material. Accordingly, such a sample is not a dependable basis for making a qualitative determination of .Iadd.the .Iaddend.condition of the mass of material.
Power has been used for sampling particulate material, such as the type referred to herein..[., however,.]..Iadd. However, .Iaddend.prior art devices, in comparison to the present invention, are slow to use, intricate of design, expensive to manufacture and susceptible to frequent breakdown.
The present invention is advantageous with respect to prior art devices, both manual and powered, because of its simplicity of design which permits a single operator to rapidly and efficiently take samples of grain or other particulate material from desired locations within the mass or bulk of said material. Applicant's device is further advantageous by reason of the fact that it is not expensive to operate and it is capable of providing a core sample representative of the bulk of material throughout the entire depth thereof.
As has been previously pointed out.Iadd., .Iaddend.the ability to .Iadd.accurately .Iaddend.sample grain and other particulate material is very important. For example.Iadd., .Iaddend.if grain is in good condition it may be stored for long periods of time without damage. On the .[.contrary.]. .Iadd.other hand, .Iaddend.where grain is subject to spoilage, which spoilage is not discovered promptly, serious losses may take place before discovery thereof and spoiled grain may contaminate other grain with which .[.is.]. .Iadd.it .Iaddend.is .[.comingled.]. .Iadd.commingled.Iaddend.. Therefore.Iadd., .Iaddend.it becomes apparent that it is advantageous, in order to proceed in the most efficient and .[.economic.]. .Iadd.economical .Iaddend.manner.Iadd., .Iaddend.to take samples of grain or other particulate material in storage from a variety of depths of the storage container on a regular basis.
Therefore.Iadd., .Iaddend.an object of this invention is .Iadd.to provide .Iaddend.a device for the sampling of particulate material. Another object of this invention is .Iadd.to provide .Iaddend.a device for sampling particulate material with suction means. A further object of this invention is .Iadd.to provide .Iaddend.a device .[.to enable.]. .Iadd.which enables .Iaddend.a single worker to advantageously sample particulate material by withdrawing samples of said material from predetermined locations within the mass thereof by suction means.
Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description thereof which follows.